title: [Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) in the therapy of melanoma].
abstract: The incidence of malignant melanoma is continuously rising, but the therapy of advanced melanoma remains insufficient. Advances in the understanding of the immunological and genetical background resulted in the development of a new target therapeutic agent, vemurafenib (Zelboraf) accepted by the FDA in 2011 and by the EMA in 2012. Vemurafenib improved the overall and progression-free survival of untreated melanoma with the mutation BRAF V600E. In a phase III study vemurafenib was associated with a 63% reduction in the risk of deaths compared with dacarbazine and of 74% in the risk of either death or disease progression. Objective response was 48% in the vemurafenib and 5% in the dacarbazine arm. Vemurafenib has special side effects, surprisingly even secondary skin tumors. Additional research is needed to understand the mechanism of drug resistance and to find new targeted therapeutic agents and combinations.
authors.affiliation: Onkodermatológiai Osztály, Országos Onkológiai Intézet, Budapest, Hungary. liszkay@oncol.hu
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liszkay
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017277:Drug Approval; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007636:Keratoacanthoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000139:chemically induced; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration; D000077484:Vemurafenib
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib